Egg-tester.



PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906.

I. L. BITTER.

EGG TESTER. APPLICATION-FILED FBB.28.1908.

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PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906'.

' J. L. BITTER.

EGG TESTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2a. 1906.

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UNITED STATLES PA TENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. BITTER, OF SHENANDOAH, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO M. D. JONES, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

EGG-TESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13. 1906.

Application filed February 28, 1906. Serial No. 303.504-

To all, w/wm it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. BITTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shenandoah, in the county of Page and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Egg- Tester, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in egg-testers. I The object of the present invention is to improve the construction and increase the efficiency of egg-testers and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive egg-tester designed for use in stores and other places where eggs are sold for exhibiting a tray of eggs, and thereby advertising the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide an egg-tester which will be capable of accurately showing the condition of a tray of eggs and which will enable the same to be conveniently stamped or marked to indicate their character.

l/Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size, and details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of an egg-tester constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical-sectional view of the same, taken at right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the removable egg-holding tray. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the removable egg-holder. Fig. 6 is. a detail perspective view of the marker. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the reflector.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a cabinet, which may be variously constructed to present an ornamental appearance and which is provided with exteriorly-arranged means for holding advertisements. The cabinet, which is provided with supporting-legs 2, has a central substantially rectangular compartment 3, in which is arranged an inclined reflector 4 and which has a top and bottom and side and end walls. The inclined reflector, which is curved in cross-section, is supported by inclined cleats 5, secured to the front and rear walls of the intermediate compartment 3 of the cabinet. The reflector, which is transversely curved, presents a concave upper face and has straight side edges or portions 6 to rest upon the cleats 5. The lower end 7 of the reflector is cut away to form a recess to receive a lamp 8, which is supported upon a bracket 9. The bracket 9 is mounted on a hinged door 10, which affords access to the compartment 3 and which is adapted to be opened and closed. When the door is opened and closed, the lamp is swung into and out of the recess 7 of the lower end of the reflector.

The lamp is provided for use in stores not equipped with either electric lights or gas; but the said cabinet is also adapted to be lighted either by gas or electricity, and for this purpose a suitable gas-fixture 11 and an electric light 12 are provided. This will enable the desired light to be thrown upon the reflector.

The means for lighting the cabinet by gas or electricity may be variously arranged, as will be readily understood.

The cabinet is provided at the upper part of the compartment 3 above the reflector with opposlte guides 13, consisting of inwardly-projecting supporting-cleats 14 and receiving a removable egg-holding tray 15. The egg-holding tray 15, which is of rectangular form, is provided with diametricallyarranged supporting-bars 16, on which is placed an egg-holder 17, consisting of a plate or piece having egg-receiving apertures 18. These egg-receiving apertures 18 correspond to the position of the egg-compartments of a filler 19, which is placed within the tray, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. The tray, which is removable at the front, is placed over the filler in an inverted position, and the tray, the filler, and the contents of the latter are then inverted to arrange the said tray in an upright position, with the eggs supported upon the holder 17. The tray is then replaced in the cabinet to expose the eggs to the action of the light. After the eggs have been inspected and marked, as hereinafter explained, the tray is ing through which the eggs are viewed, and

removed and is again inverted to empty it I of the eggs and filler, a suitable bottom being previously placed upon the eggs to prevent the same from falling from the filler.

In order to obviate the inconvenience of replacing the egg-holder within the tray each time the eggs are removed from the latter, the said egg-holder is detachably interlocked with the tray by means of a centrally-arranged button 20, having a shank which pierces the supporting bars 16. The eggholder 17 is provided with a keyhole-slot 21 and is interlocked with the button by moving it horizontally to carry the shank portion of the button into the narrow part of the slot after the head of the button has been passed through the enlarged portion of the slot.

A substantially quadrant-shaped dome or hood 22 is hingedly mounted upon the top 23 of the compartment, and it has a sight-piece or eye-shade 24'at its top. The sight-piece or eye-shade extends upward from the openthe character of the eggs may be readily ascertained by examining them through the sight-piece 24. The hood or dome is provided with quadrant-shaped end pieces, and it has a sheet-metal front provided at opposite sides with grooves 25 or other suitable means for holding an advertising-card. The front wall of the hood or dome is provided with a horizontal slot 26, through which extends a handle 27 of a horizontal marker 28, which is supported adjacent to the back and one end of the dome or hood by an elastic connection 29. The elastic connection 29 is adapted when the marker is released to lift the same clear of the eggs, and it is returned to the left-hand end of the hood by means of an elastic connection 30.

The marker consists of an elastic band 31 and a holder which is constructed of a single piece of wire. The wire or other material of which the holder or frame of the marker is constructed is doubled between its ends to form the loop-shaped handle 27, and each side of the wire is then bent transversely to provide a pair of curved loop-shaped arms 33, having transverse connecting portions 34, on which is arranged the band 31. The terminals of the wire are connected together, and one of them is extended to form an eye to which the elastic connections 29 and 30 are secured.

The elastic connections greatly facilitate the operation of the marker, and the curved arms 33 are spaced apart to straddle an egg, the elastic band being adapted to conform to the configuration of the egg to be marked and being designed to be provided with any suitable raised characters for designating the condition or quality of the egg thus marked. A suitable ink-pad 34h is provided and is preferably arranged on a bracket within the hood, as shown. The top of the compartment 3 also supports a perforated tube or flue 35, located above the chimney of the lamp and closed at the top. A wire guard 36, which is in the form of a dome-shaped cage, is arranged over the tube or flue to prevent the hands of the operator accidentally coming in contact with the same when the latter becomes heated through the use of the lamp.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An egg-tester comprising a cabinet having a compartment provided with a hinged door, a bracket extending from the inner face of the door for supporting a lamp, inclined supporting-cleats located within the compartment, an inclined reflector transversely curved between its edges and provided at the latter with straight portions to rest upon the said cleats, the lower end of the reflector being provided with a recess to receive a lamp, and means located above the reflector for holding the eggs to be tested.

2. An egg-tester comprising a cabinet having a compartment, an inclined reflector located within the compartment and provided at its lower end with a recess, a lamp-bracket located beneath the recess, an exterior tube or flue arranged at the top of the compartment above the said recess, a wire guard cov ering and spaced from the tube or flue, and. means for holding the eggs to be tested.

3. An egg-tester comprising a cabinet, a reflector, an egg-holding tray having supporting-cleats and provided with a projecting button, and an egg-holder arranged on the cleats and having egg-receiving openings, said egg-holder being also provided. with a keyhole-slot, whereby it is detachably inter,-' locked with the said. button.

4. An eggtester comprising a cabinet, a reflector, means for supporting eggs above the reflector, a hood mounted above the said. means, and a marker yieldably supported within the hood and consisting of an elastic band adapted to conform to the configuration of an egg, and a holder constructed. of a single piece of wire doubled to form a handle and bent laterally to form opposite loopshaped arms, said arms being curved to straddle an egg and having connecting end portions to receive the elastic band.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JNO. L. BITTER.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. SreeERs, BLANCHE J. KALDENBAGK.

IOC 

